Group protests power plant

No-show Gov. Crist puts damper on goal to get message to state

Manalapan — Environmentalists protesting a proposed power plant in western Palm Beach County gathered in front of the Ritz-Carlton on Tuesday, hoping to catch Gov. Charlie Crist's attention.

But they never got a chance - the event wasn't on Crist's calendar.

Holdings signs, banging drums and chanting over a megaphone, about 15 protesters met at the hotel to wait for a moment with Crist, who they thought was attending an anniversary gala for animal welfare organization Save A Pet Inc.

Crist was invited to the event - which included Palm Beach County socialites, humanitarians and a few government officials - but did not attend.

"Save Everglades animals too!! No FPL in the swamp," read a large banner held by three protesters.

The protest is one of about 30 the group has held opposing the construction of West County Energy Center, planned to sit north of Southern Boulevard near 20-Mile Bend. The natural gas-fueled plant is expected to open in 2009 and would provide energy to 466,000 homes and businesses across the state.

For 1 1/2 years the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition, which most of the protesters belong to, has opposed Florida Power & Light's new plant. Several members were arrested on May 25 during a protest at an FPL meeting at the company's Juno Beach headquarters.

Panagioti Tsolkas, the group's co-organizer, was one of those arrested, and on Tuesday he was leading the chants calling for Crist to stop the power plant.

The group filed a lawsuit in May in U.S. District Court against Florida and its Department of Environmental Protection, seeking to reverse last year's approval of a permit for FPL to build the plant.

"We're trying to start a grass-roots movement on the issue," said Barry Silver, the group's lawyer. "We want to make sure what [Crist] is doing matches what he's saying."

They want Crist to stick to his promise to reduce greenhouse gases, Tsolkas said.

A few minutes of tension arose Tuesday when the Ritz-Carlton's security told protesters to move off the grass in front of the hotel. The group relocated to a small patch of grass across the street.

"I thought we'd be sending a message to Christ," said Allan Taylor, of Delray Beach, lowering his sign.

State Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter, was one of the guests who noticed the protesters but didn't get the message.

"I didn't really know what they were doing out there," he said.

Despite Crist's absence, Tsolkas doesn't feel their time was spent in vain.

"The word will trickle up," he said. "It's up to us to keep the pressure on. That's why these things are important."

Rachael Joyner can be reached at rjoyner@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6633.